


Through Thick and Thin, Forever Together

by LakeWilliams



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alfred's got a secret, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, M/M, but what is this secret?, read to find out owo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-10-22 01:50:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17653730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LakeWilliams/pseuds/LakeWilliams
Summary: Alfred F. Jones led a normal life. Well, as normal a life as you could get if you had a scientist for a dad. His dad had known that the virus he was studying had the potential to bring around the apocalypse. His father had been called in when the virus got out, but had failed to contain it, and now it had spread to the rest of America, and maybe the rest of the world. Now, he’s teamed up with Ivan to try and find a way to stop it from getting worse, and hopefully turn back the clock before time runs out.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to my second fic on this site! I'm sorry if it's not all that good, or if the story doesn't flow well, a lot of this au is still in development but I feel like I had enough key points down to at least start this fic! I hope you enjoy it!

Alfred sat tucked away in the back of the large, beige RV, sitting cross-legged on one of the beds back there. He felt the large vehicle swaying as Ivan sat up in the driver’s seat, trying his best to navigate the roads. He had been more or less ordered there by Ivan, claiming that his antics were too distracting for him to pay attention to the road. Alfred drew his knees up to his chest, hugging them as he leaned back against the wall behind him. He thought back to the beginning of this mess, how he and Ivan had met and started travelling together. He had been trying to help out this mother and her kid, her daughter being very obviously ill. They begged him for a place to stay, along with food, water, and medicine. He didn’t have much to sustain them both, so he gave them his little shelter he had made, and offered to go and collect some supplies from a nearby hospital. That’s where he had met Ivan, although he found himself wishing their meeting had been under better terms.  “Are you alright back there?” Alfred’s head jerked up when he heard the familiar Russian accent from the front seat. “You have been awfully quiet, it is starting to worry me.”

Alfred let out a soft laugh. “I should be saying the same thing about you, big guy,” he said, turning his head to look up towards the front. “You’re the one who fell down a flight of stairs. How’s your head?”

Ivan let out a soft snort. “I am doing well enough,” he responded, glancing in the rearview mirror. “Nothing that time will not heal.” He pulled the RV off to the side of the road, putting it in park and shutting off the engine before moving back to join Alfred on the bed. “Do you miss home?” he asked softly, tilting his head.

Alfred blinked, caught off guard by the question. He eventually nodded. “...Yeah, I guess I do,” he quietly admitted. “I miss my house… I miss my dad… I miss the way that everything used to be.” His eyes moved down to study the floor. “...But at the same time, if everything was the way it used to be, I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to know you.” He gave Ivan a smile, which the tall Russian readily returned.

“Da, that is true.” His eyes sparkled. “I may not be able to remember much of my past, but I am certain you must be one of the kindest people that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.” Alfred could feel his cheeks growing warm at the compliment, and he ducked his head away so Ivan wouldn’t see the color blooming there.

“You’re one of the kindest people I’ve ever met too,” Alfred muttered softly, just loud enough for Ivan to hear. He heard the tall man chuckle. 

“We’re at a superstore,” Ivan hummed, standing up. “What do you say raiding some supplies? We could use some bandages and food.”

Alfred nodded, standing with a grin and feeling around for his pistol before sliding it back into the holster at his hip. “I also want to take a look for reading material, it gets boring back here while you’re up there driving.” Ivan gave an amused snort, shaking his head.

“More comic books, hm~?” he teased, to which Alfred began to pout.

“What?! They aren’t comics!” he exclaimed, crossing his arms. “They’re manga, there’s a difference you know.”

Ivan hummed. “Da, they're backwards comics.” Alfred gave him an unamused look, his pout remaining stationary as he opened the door to the RV and looking around outside. He beckoned Ivan forward when he was sure the coast was clear, moving out of the doorway and running as silently as he could towards the storefront. He pressed his back against the wall, waiting for Ivan to catch up and check inside. He slid his pistol from his holster, holding it loosely in his hand as he watched Ivan’s expression as the man peered inside. He held up four fingers. Four of those undead fuckers, eh? Sounds like this would be fun. He began to move closer to the door, more than ready for Ivan to give the signal. He wanted to put some bullets in between those zombies’ eyes. Who knew what families they could have murdered and torn apart? His gaze flitted to Ivan again, his eyes narrowed slightly. He had his hand raised in a “wait” gesture. What did he want them to wait for?

Movement inside the store caught his attention, and he turned his head, looking for the source. A little girl was inside, maybe about eight or nine years old. Alfred’s lips pressed into a fine line. So young, and having to endure this hell. Now he saw why Ivan wanted him to wait before charging in, guns all ablaze. He gave the tall Russian a questioning look, tilting his head a bit. He watched him raise his gun and take careful aim at a zombie creeping closer to the girl. His finger gently began to squeeze around the trigger, one eye shut as he tried to take a close shot. There was a loud bang as the bullet was released from the chamber, effectively startling the girl as the undead being dropped down to the floor, writhing for a few moments before lying still. The other zombies looked in their direction, to which Alfred grinned. He stood up, stepping through the doorway. “Yo! Little girl!” he called out, capturing the child’s attention. “Come this way, quickly!” He quickly took aim at one of the closest creatures and opened fire, giving the child a gateway to come through. He continued firing as the girl came racing over, ducking past him and heading out the doorway where Ivan was waiting.

“Head to that RV over there,” he heard his friend say. “Wait inside for us to return, and we will take you to a safer place, da?” There was a moment of silence before feet could be heard picking up gravel. Ivan stepped up to join him, a smile on his face. “Looks like we’ll be getting some extra exercise this morning~” he hummed, his eyes sparkling with a dangerous look. “I will enjoy blowing these things to oblivion.”

Alfred grinned. “You and I both, buddy.” Together, they charged, taking out the undead left and right. They both had a few close calls, however it was nothing that the trained eyes of the duo couldn’t handle. A few quick shots, and everything was over. Ivan and Alfred stood in the middle of the carnage, chests heaving from the running as they surveyed the damage. “Well, there was definitely more of them than expected,” Alfred said, breathing out a sigh. Ivan just gave a chuckle, turning to give an amused look to the blonde.

“And here I thought your motto was ‘expect the unexpected’?” he teased, poking lightly at the American’s shoulder. Alfred rolled his eyes, laughing softly.

“Only sometimes, big guy. So, divide and conquer? You get the food and I’ll handle the medical supplies and the books I wanted?” Ivan nodded, rushing off to where the snack aisles would have been. Alfred was much slower in his investigation, carefully scanning the shelves to see if anything that could be useful to them had been left behind by the scavengers. He found a few boxes that contained bandages, some antiseptic spray and bacterial wipes, along with some assorted medicines. He grinned, there was a lot more than he had thought would be left behind. He pocketed all that he could and stuffed more into the bag hanging from his shoulders before heading to the part of the store where they kept all the books. They were all practically untouched, save for a few bloodstains that were scattered along the covers. He browsed them for a few moments before grabbing a few at random and shoving them in his bag, heading back for the storefront.

Ivan was there waiting for him, looking around outside as he stood there. His hands were in his pockets, and Alfred had to stop for a second, admiring him. This was the most relaxed Ivan had ever looked, and honestly Alfred found it beautiful. He had never seen any creature as beautiful as Ivan, now that he thought about it. Those violet eyes of his were truly unique. The only eyes he had ever seen close to that were… He shook his head. No time for remembering the past. He could do that all he wanted back in the RV. He finished his journey to Ivan’s side, gently touching his shoulder. Ivan jumped, his head whipping back to look at Alfred. “Ah, I’m sorry,” he said softly, his eyes sparkling with relief when he saw those bright, blue eyes. “I was lost in thought, I did not hear you approach.”

Alfred grinned up at him. “It’s all good, dude!” he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. “Come on, let’s go back. I’ve got lots of medical supplies, and that little girl looked pretty banged up. I want to take a look at her.” Ivan nodded, and led the way back to the RV, his eyes sharp and alert for any oncoming zombies. Once they got to the vehicle, Alfred was up and in the back in a flash, smiling softly at the little girl.

“Hey there, darlin,” he hummed softly, holding his hand out to her. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt ya.” The girl eyed him distrustfully, staring at his hand. “I just want to take a look at you, you seem like you’re hurt.” He brought some of the medical supplies out of his bag, and she seemed to relax at that. She shuffled closer to him, not meeting his gaze. “There we go…” he hummed. “Can you take off your jacket for me?” She slowly followed his request, letting her coat drop to the floor. Alfred took in the damage, clicking his tongue. “Wow, you sure are a brave one,” he said to her, giving her a grin as she turned to give him a questioning look.

“How…?” she rasped out, her brown eyes curious.

“Well, you have some pretty bad cuts back here,” he said, exaggerating a bit. “And here you are, sitting here with a straight face. Pretty brave to me,” he continued, winking at her. She gave a little giggle, sitting up straight as Alfred cleaned the cuts. “What’s your name, hm?” he asked.

“My name is Hazel,” she responded, wiggling her feet a bit. “What’s yours?”

Alfred smiled, sealing a bandage against her skin. “Mm, my name is Alfred. The big guy who was with me is Ivan. Don’t be afraid of him, y’hear? He like to talk tough, but he’s actually a big tough teddy bear.”

Hazel giggled. “That sounds like what my mommy would say about my daddy!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling brightly. “I can’t wait to find them again! We got separated a while ago.” Alfred paused, directing a pitying look to the back of her head.

“Well, I’ll help you find them, sweetheart, alright?” She turned and gave him a big grin. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that she probably wouldn’t see them again. Not in this huge mess. He let out a soft sigh, standing up and cracking his neck. “You’re all patched up now, how are you feeling?”

“I’m kinda tired,” she admitted, looking up at him. He chuckled, carefully scooping her up and depositing her on his bed before removing her jacket and shoes. He tucked her in tight, his eyes sparkling down at her gently.

“Then you’ll sleep here, okay sweetheart? Ivan and I’ll protect ya, so don’t you worry a single hair on that pretty little head of yours.” She smiled up at him again as her eyes began to droop shut. Her head eventually tilted to the side, signalling that she had drifted off.

“Oh?” Ivan hummed. “You gave up your bed for her?”

Alfred turned and nodded, giving him a weary smile. “Of course I did, a hero’s gotta be ready to help anyone in need. I can sleep up front, or on the couch or something.”

Ivan gave a slight frown. “But those places are very uncomfortable, are you sure that you want to do that?”

Alfred nodded, grinning at him. “I’ll be fine, a little back pain never killed anyone.” That statement only managed to make Ivan’s frown deeper.

“I doubt those people were hardly in a world overrun by zombies,” he said, crossing his arms. “You will take my bed.”

Alfred’s eyes widened. “Wh-What?! But what about you, you just said the front seat and the couch were uncomfortable!” Ivan chuckled and shook his head.

“Silly Fedya… I will be joining you!” He beamed at Alfred, whose cheeks were turning pink at sharing a bed with the big Russian teddy bear.

“A-Ah… I guess that’s alright,” he said softly, carefully sitting down on the mattress of the opposing bed. He went silent for a moment before glancing up at Ivan again. “So… where we heading next?”

Ivan grimaced. “...You may not like the answer,” was all he had said before heading back up to the front of the RV and started the engine. Alfred sat in shock for a moment before he shrugged, reclining on the mattress and opening one of the books he had taken from the store. Seemed like it would probably be a long trip.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things have wound down, and now is a time for relaxation and reflection, followed by a tender moment.

Alfred didn’t know how to feel about this. Ivan had made him take his bed, and they would be sharing it tonight. On one hand, he felt elated. He had always wanted to get closer to Ivan, although a literal sense of the phrase wasn’t what he had in mind. On the other hand, he felt awkward. People in his life had always taken a dig at his weight, due to him being heavier than most. It wasn’t fat, not like he believed. He had taken to working out at a young age, wanting to prove everyone that tormented him wrong. And he had. Too bad they hadn’t been alive to see him now. He had been off to school on the day that the zombie apocalypse had started. A 19-year-old boy, senior year of high school. The other students would scoff at him. It wasn’t his fault he had been held back a year, he had had issues with paying attention, so they wanted to keep him at a low level to find ways to deal with it before they had him move up. It was nothing to be ashamed of, at least, that’s what his dad had said, and he was inclined to believe him. There was one guy who would pick on him for it constantly, and of course, he had been the first one in the school to go. There had been one of those… hellish creatures just lounging around outside the school gate, and this kid had to be the one to go up and taunt it. Of course, it had been a bad idea.

Alfred scoffed quietly as he remembered hearing the kid’s screams. How he pleaded for someone, anyone to help him. He remembered how no one did. Everyone was done with this kid’s bullshit, no one was safe from his wrath. Not even his friends. So his plight was ignored by all passing students. Alfred regretted it, though. He regretted not being the bigger person and helping the kid get away, even though it was probably a smart decision. He set his book aside, no longer in the mood to read. His gaze locked onto the ceiling of the RV, watching the fairy lights sway as the vehicle moved. That kid’s screams were permanently etched into his mind, he could never forget them, even if he wanted to. He sighed, lifting one arm up to cover his eyes while his other hand rested gently over his stomach.

He had only survived the beginning at his high school by knowing his way through the secret passageways to the school. He got out of the school through the abandoned underground tunnels that people would use to get across the street to the library and other adjacent campus buildings safely, seeing as the road separating the two parts of the campus was a highway that was busy more often than not. No zombies had reached over there by the time he had escaped, for those buildings were currently closed down to prepare for renovations scheduled to start that weekend.

He sighed again, closing his eyes. Shit had just gone really wrong after that. He remembered Matthew, that boy who ended up as his lab partner for Chemistry. He was a real genius when it came to so many things. He had been lucky to find him rifling around in his neighborhood. He gave him a safe place to stay, and they had teamed up together from there. They had traveled to the countryside, meeting people and helping out where they could before moving on. He remembered Matthew saying that he was inspired by his father’s work, and wanted to work in the same lab that he had. If only he had lived to make that dream come true. Alfred remembered that, too, and he sorely wished he didn’t. If only he had been able to help him, maybe he would be here, with him and Ivan. But it was impossible. He had shot Matthew dead long ago, way before he met Ivan. He had taken to wandering sullenly about afterward, almost daring to hope that a horde, or even a straggler, would pick him off and be done with it. Eventually, Matthew’s words came back to him, the promise that they had made to help others in need overriding Alfred’s deathwish. So, in a way, Matthew had led Alfred to Ivan, and now here he was, alive, well, and traveling the country in search of a safe zone. A soft smile graced Alfred’s lips as he felt=l sleep dragging at his limbs, trying to pull him into a world of dreams. He welcomed them with open arms, not something he did often. Maybe it was because of the smell of Ivan’s musk clinging to the blankets, maybe it had some sort of weird hold on him. He wasn’t able to question it, however, for he was soon drifting off, relaxed completely as he slept.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ivan hummed as he came across what seemed to him to be a suitable place to park and head to the back for the night. They had been traveling nonstop for days, and Ivan was practically on fumes. He sat there for a moment, watching the sunset before he stood and stretched, letting out a gentle yawn before stumbling through to the back. His eyes softened as he watched Alfred shift on his mattress. There was something stunning about him, and Ivan wasn’t exactly able to pinpoint what it was.

He sat down on the edge of the mattress, tilting his head as he watched the American’s facial expression. He had a slight smile on his face, and his shoulders were hunched a bit close to his face. He was enjoying his dream, whatever it was. Ivan gave a soft smile of his own, reaching out to carefully brush Alfred’s hair away from his face. He let his fingers ghost over Alfred’s cheek, just barely making contact with his smooth skin. He didn’t really understand why he felt so drawn to Alfred, he only knew that he was, and he wished that Alfred would never disappear from his life under any circumstance. Ivan gently settled down under the covers of his bed after laying a spare blanket over Alfred, who he felt wouldn’t appreciate being disturbed from the first restful sleep he had had in a while.

His eyes widened slightly when Alfred rolled closer to him, pressing up against his chest in search of his warmth. He froze, not wanting to scare him awake by moving suddenly. After he was sure that Alfred had settled down, he slowly and carefully wrapped his arms around the blonde American, cocooning him in his own body heat. He could feel him relax further, his smile becoming even gentler than it had been moments ago. Ivan felt his cheeks growing warm at the sight of it, his eyes shining with a warmth that he didn’t know that he could present. His gaze slid to the bed on the other side of the small space, watching as the little girl they had picked up roll over in her sleep. She seemed to be alright. Alfred had always been skilled with medical practices, so it wasn’t any surprise that she wasn’t whimpering in her sleep. He gave a gentle, proud smile to the American, running his fingers through his hair as he murmured gentle praises to him in his native tongue.

It wasn’t long before Ivan drifted off to sleep as well, enjoying the closeness between the two of them.

~~~~~~~~~

Alfred woke early the next morning, stretching and letting out a relieved groan as he freed himself from the blankets. He was vaguely aware of something draped around his waist but paid it no heed, at least, none for the moment. He instead focused on making sure his neck cracked, as it felt stiff. He’d need it to stay loosened up, just in case anything happened and they needed to make an escape underneath a watchful eye. He grunted as the bones in his neck cracked before he let out a soft sigh of relief, letting his shoulders drop as he slumped into a more relaxed position. He raised his hands to rub at his eyes, groaning softly as he did so. He was always slow to wake up. Ivan always told him that that would be his downfall. Now that Alfred was somewhat more awake, he directed his attention to the weight in his stomach. His eyes flew wide at the sight of Ivan’s arm wrapped haphazardly around him, his cheeks tinting pink as he followed the arm up to the sleeping man’s face.

Just how long had they been like that? Had Ivan done it on purpose, or had it happened in their sleep? Alfred didn’t know which answer was better, he realized, his cheeks slowly turning a deeper shade of pink. He slowly, carefully, detached himself from Ivan’s grip, his eyes lingering on the Russian man’s face before he turned to check on the little girl who was in the back with them. Hazel lay on her side, facing the wall as she quietly snored, her little cheeks glowing with life as she smiled and dreamed. Alfred couldn’t help the fond tug he felt in his heart as he gently reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. Such a fragile little thing, he thought, and she’s all alone in this world. He hoped that her parents were alright. 

He silently moved towards the kitchenette of the RV, his stomach giving a low growl as he opened the mini fridge and peered inside. Ivan must have stocked it earlier before he went to join Alfred in the bed. He smiled softly, grabbing one of the bottles of water kept inside before reaching for a can of soup that was stashed away in the cupboard. He stared at the can for a minute, wondering if eating it without heating it up sounded appealing. Deciding that he didn’t want to wake them, he peeled the lid off of the can and grabbed a spoon. Fewer dishes for them to do, he reasoned, as he sat at the table to enjoy his tiny meal. He took a swig of water every few bites, humming softly as he did so. Alfred leaned back against the backrest of his seat, gazing blankly up at the ceiling. What was their next move, he wondered. Ivan was awfully secretive about their destination, and he wasn’t sure if he was grateful or unnerved by that fact. Either way, it was a destination selected by Ivan. He was smart, so if it was his choice, then it was probably going to be a good idea.

He turned his head when he heard movement, followed by slightly panicked noises. Ivan had awoken and had bolted upright, his head swinging back and forth as he tried to locate his American traveling partner. “Over here, big guy,” Alfred called softly, raising a hand before he spooned another bite of cold soup into his mouth. “I got hungry, sorry about that.”

Ivan calmed visibly, a low stream of air escaping his lips as he breathed a sigh of relief. He moved from the bed to the table, slipping into the seat next to him. “I apologize for reacting that way,” he said softly, looking at Alfred with a gentle smile. “I thought you had disappeared.”

Alfred let out a low chuckle, rolling his eyes. “As if I’d go that quietly, Ivan, you know me,” he teased, gently nudging the Russian with his elbow.

Ivan laughed as well, indulging in the lightness of the moment. “Da, you hardly ever shut up. I would have been able to hear you even two miles away.” He bumped him gently with his shoulder, his eyes sparkling softly. “How are you feeling?”

Alfred shrugged. “Eh... As well as an apocalypse survivor can get, I guess,” he murmured, chasing the soup around the inside of the can. “I just wish that this hadn’t happened at all, so then we can get to know each other while relaxing, instead of through one life or death situation after another.”

Ivan blushed slightly, his mind adding another layer of meaning to that statement. He looked away to hide the color in his cheeks. “D-Da, that would be nice,” he said softly, taking to staring out the window. He was surprised to find that it was now dark outside. “How much time has passed?” he asked softly, standing up and moving to the front of the RV to start the engine and check the clock. A bright green 11:50 blinked up at him, and he made a soft noise of acknowledgment. “Ah… It is quite late.”

Alfred nodded, despite the fact that Ivan couldn’t see it. “Yeah, I figured as much,” he said, trying (and ultimately failing) to stifle a yawn.

Ivan let out a kind laugh as he came back into the kitchenette. “It is time for sleep again, hm?” he hummed, tugging the now empty soup can from Alfred’s grasp and tossing it into the trash can. He ignored the soft sounds of Alfred protesting as he scooped the blonde up, carrying him back over to the bed and laying down with him. His arms went around Alfred’s waist to keep him firmly locked in place, Alfred wouldn’t be able to move until he got a restful night’s sleep. Alfred was soon out like a light, having a warm body to keep close to certainly helped alleviate one’s senses and allow them to relax immensely, which was what Alfred needed. Ivan watched over him with a serene smile, his eyes sparkling gently as he ran his fingers through the silky blonde hair.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, thanks for reading! Leave a kudos and a comment if you enjoyed! See you next update!


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